1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Zoot Suit. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?” The stasis of the play takes place in a jazz dance club in L.A. in the forties at night. The people involved include Henry Reyna, his girlfriend Della Barrios, his friends, and Rafas and his rival gang. The dramatic situation the characters find themselves in is that of a fight between Henry and his group and their rival’s, the “Downey Gang.”
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play? The stasis is broken when the dance is interrupted by police that arrest Henry and his friends for the murder of Jose Williams. This then leads to the court case in which the group is railroaded into prison. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? The unique factor of the play is Jose Williams, the boy found dead at the scene when Henry and his friends go to fight the Downey Gang. 4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.) Dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play is: Will Henry and his friends go to jail or will they be deemed not guilty? Will Henry and his friends get out of prison? What happens to Henry after prison? 5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles. Throughout the play, Zoot Suit, Henry faces the conflicts of ‘me against myself,’ ‘me against society,’ and a ‘me against another individual,’ conflict. Henry’s “me against myself,” conflict arises between him and Pachuco, the character that sometimes speaks on another point of view of Henry’s mind. Henry often argues with him and sometimes he listens, sometimes he doesn’t. Henry and Pachuco create the sort of ‘me against myself,’ conflict because Pachuco often embodies that side of him while Henry tries to embody the patriotic marine he almost became. The “me against society,” conflict Henry faces arises from the fact that he is a criminal in the eyes of the Caucasian dominated courtroom and society. They stereotype him as a punk and a criminal because of the style of clothing he wears and his race, and they automatically assume he killed Jose Williams. The ‘me against another individual,’ conflict can be seen between Henry and Rafas, his rival. A fight with Rafas leads to Henry and his crew going down to Sleepy Lagoon and the play unfolding from there. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one. The most theatrical moments of Zoot Suit take place when Della describes what happened the night the 38th Street Gang went down to Sleepy Lagoon and is questioned by the lawyer, Press,, and when Press tells the audience what really happened to Henry, and Pachuco creates a different “story-truth,” for Henry’s life. In the courtroom when Press starts to question Della, she gives the story of what happened down at Sleepy Lagoon and is badgered by him about the gang and what happened. In the end she is sent to the infamous all girls boarding school either way, showing the unjust of the courtroom. When the audience learns the truth about what happened to Henry after he was released from prison, it creates a somber tone at the end despite Pachuco’s happier remake of what happened. It reminds the audience of how jail can change people and about the reality of the play altogether.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”) Imagery in Zoot Suit include that of the marines, the “zooters,” and Jose Williams. The marines are an image in the play because from the outside, they are soldiers off to fight a war, but what the audience doesn’t see is the fact that the marines embody a sense of division in the play. They go after the latino community in the play and in real life, claiming to the clean the streets of zoot suits. They show the type of tension that was around during that time period. The zooters also show the image of a new generation. During these times, places were still segregated and minorities did not have the same freedoms as whites. The zooters went against that, taking pride in their newfound way of both style and living. Jose Williams is an image because from the outside, he was the victim of the Sleepy Lagoon Murder Case, but he was also a tool for the L.A. police department. They wanted to crack down on zoot suiters, and by railroading a group of them in response to Jose William’s murder, they were able to do exactly that.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit. Themes in Zoot Suit include that of identity, and that of fate. In the play, Zoot Suit, Henry struggles with identity. He goes between wanting to fight for his country and being Pachuco, his alter ego. Oftentimes he argues with the Pachuco side of himself who doesn’t see the good in the U.S., and only sees that bad out of it. Sometimes, he listens to this side of himself whilst other times he goes against it. The theme of fate can also be established here because of the fact that jail changed Henry for the worst. He ended up back in jail, and then he killed someone while behind bars. He then got into doing drugs before he died. He didn’t deserve to go to jail for something he didn’t do, and going to jail stopped him from being able to be a marine. It seemed as if either way, his life was not going to be what he pictured after jail. 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit? Henry’s family consists of his blood family and the family of the 38th Street Gang. When he is on his way to becoming a marine, his blood family encourages him and is proud. When Henry gets into a brawl with Rafas, it is the 38th Street Gang that goes with him to fight back at Sleepy Lagoon, and it is them again in court with him. Henry goes through being in jail and trying to get out with the gang. Even Della, whose father is Henry’s father’s boss, tries to speak for him when he is being tried for murder. Throughout the play, family is present, whether it is in the form of the 38th Street Gang or with his blood family. Everyone in these groups have bonds.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Zoot Suit. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?”
The stasis of the play takes place in a jazz dance club in L.A. in the forties at night. The people involved include Henry Reyna, his girlfriend Della Barrios, his friends, and Rafas and his rival gang. The dramatic situation the characters find themselves in is that of a fight between Henry and his group and their rival’s, the “Downey Gang.”
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The stasis is broken when the dance is interrupted by police that arrest Henry and his friends for the murder of Jose Williams. This then leads to the court case in which the group is railroaded into prison.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
The unique factor of the play is Jose Williams, the boy found dead at the scene when Henry and his friends go to fight the Downey Gang.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrustion.)
Dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play is: Will Henry and his friends go to jail or will they be deemed not guilty? Will Henry and his friends get out of prison? What happens to Henry after prison?
5. Use Henry to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Wedding Band the wants of Julia are in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a charcter. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Throughout the play, Zoot Suit, Henry faces the conflicts of ‘me against myself,’ ‘me against society,’ and a ‘me against another individual,’ conflict. Henry’s “me against myself,” conflict arises between him and Pachuco, the character that sometimes speaks on another point of view of Henry’s mind. Henry often argues with him and sometimes he listens, sometimes he doesn’t. Henry and Pachuco create the sort of ‘me against myself,’ conflict because Pachuco often embodies that side of him while Henry tries to embody the patriotic marine he almost became. The “me against society,” conflict Henry faces arises from the fact that he is a criminal in the eyes of the Caucasian dominated courtroom and society. They stereotype him as a punk and a criminal because of the style of clothing he wears and his race, and they automatically assume he killed Jose Williams. The ‘me against another individual,’ conflict can be seen between Henry and Rafas, his rival. A fight with Rafas leads to Henry and his crew going down to Sleepy Lagoon and the play unfolding from there.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Zoot Suit. There are more than one.
The most theatrical moments of Zoot Suit take place when Della describes what happened the night the 38th Street Gang went down to Sleepy Lagoon and is questioned by the lawyer, Press,, and when Press tells the audience what really happened to Henry, and Pachuco creates a different “story-truth,” for Henry’s life. In the courtroom when Press starts to question Della, she gives the story of what happened down at Sleepy Lagoon and is badgered by him about the gang and what happened. In the end she is sent to the infamous all girls boarding school either way, showing the unjust of the courtroom. When the audience learns the truth about what happened to Henry after he was released from prison, it creates a somber tone at the end despite Pachuco’s happier remake of what happened. It reminds the audience of how jail can change people and about the reality of the play altogether.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Zoot Suit. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
Imagery in Zoot Suit include that of the marines, the “zooters,” and Jose Williams. The marines are an image in the play because from the outside, they are soldiers off to fight a war, but what the audience doesn’t see is the fact that the marines embody a sense of division in the play. They go after the latino community in the play and in real life, claiming to the clean the streets of zoot suits. They show the type of tension that was around during that time period. The zooters also show the image of a new generation. During these times, places were still segregated and minorities did not have the same freedoms as whites. The zooters went against that, taking pride in their newfound way of both style and living. Jose Williams is an image because from the outside, he was the victim of the Sleepy Lagoon Murder Case, but he was also a tool for the L.A. police department. They wanted to crack down on zoot suiters, and by railroading a group of them in response to Jose William’s murder, they were able to do exactly that.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Zoot Suit.
Themes in Zoot Suit include that of identity, and that of fate. In the play, Zoot Suit, Henry struggles with identity. He goes between wanting to fight for his country and being Pachuco, his alter ego. Oftentimes he argues with the Pachuco side of himself who doesn’t see the good in the U.S., and only sees that bad out of it. Sometimes, he listens to this side of himself whilst other times he goes against it. The theme of fate can also be established here because of the fact that jail changed Henry for the worst. He ended up back in jail, and then he killed someone while behind bars. He then got into doing drugs before he died. He didn’t deserve to go to jail for something he didn’t do, and going to jail stopped him from being able to be a marine. It seemed as if either way, his life was not going to be what he pictured after jail.
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Zoot Suit?
Henry’s family consists of his blood family and the family of the 38th Street Gang. When he is on his way to becoming a marine, his blood family encourages him and is proud. When Henry gets into a brawl with Rafas, it is the 38th Street Gang that goes with him to fight back at Sleepy Lagoon, and it is them again in court with him. Henry goes through being in jail and trying to get out with the gang. Even Della, whose father is Henry’s father’s boss, tries to speak for him when he is being tried for murder. Throughout the play, family is present, whether it is in the form of the 38th Street Gang or with his blood family. Everyone in these groups have bonds.